PALESTINE UNVEILED 199
was just the point in which the Old Colonists, or some
of them, showed their understanding and sympathy
with the Arabs amongst whom they had been reared,
One of the most noted Old Colonists, at his own
charges, arranges for Arabs from the villages near his
farm to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Haj which
all Moslems aspire to make at least once in their
lifetimes. Can you imagine any more genuine attempt
to show friendship for the Arab? Or one more likely
to win their gratitude and esteem? What is more, so
said my farmer friend, these benefactions are made
in so comradely and tactful a manner that he did
not offend the haughty susceptibilities of the proud
peasants, for, no matter how poor he is, there is no
haughtier person on earth than the Moslem Arab.
I was told, and I later found to be accurate one of
the most amazing stories that I have ever heard—a
tale that should be known by each and every person
in our own country. It is as great an epic of heroism
and self-sacrifice as any in the Bible, or in the history
of any land under God's sun. I will try to give its
outline.
It happened during the War; and please do not
shy away at the mention of a War story; for these
youngsters were never given the reward for which
they faced torture, hardships and death in the most
cheerful manner in the world.
The Old Colonists, or a group of them, realized that
the only hope of their ever being able to bring to pass
their ideal of restoring Israel to her Homeland, was to
do all that they could to ensure the victory of the
Allies. Do not go running away with the notion that